Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has strongly criticized the recent visit of Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, to several states in northern Nigeria, where he distributed food to residents. Lamido described the act as an outright “humiliation” and an insult to the dignity of the northern people.
In a widely circulated video where he addressed a gathering in Hausa, Lamido denounced the gesture, arguing that it was both degrading and politically motivated. He expressed disappointment that the region, once renowned for its courage and integrity, was now being reduced to accepting mere food handouts from individuals seeking political advantage.
“You will hear people say that Arewa is known for bravery and integrity, yet Tinubu is going to Sokoto and Kano, distributing cooked rice to our people. This is total humiliation,” Lamido remarked. “Is this how to govern a country or promote good governance? What Tinubu is doing to the northern people is an insult.”
He lamented that northern Nigeria, which has historically produced esteemed leaders such as Aminu Kano, Sir Ahmadu Bello (the Sardauna of Sokoto), and Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was now being reduced to a region where food handouts were considered a form of governance. He further called on the people of the North to unite and reject what he termed as an effort to belittle them.
“Is this what we have been subjected to? This is the height of humiliation, and they know it. Arewa, which produced great leaders like Aminu Kano, Sardauna, Tafawa Balewa, and many other prominent figures, is now being reduced to a region where people are only given cooked rice,” he said.
“It is up to us to either unite and resist this humiliation or fold our hands and allow an outsider to come to our region and belittle us,” he declared, emphasizing the need for northerners to take a stand. “If we stay on the right track in this country, no one can ever defeat us.”
Seyi Tinubu recently embarked on visits to several northern states, including Niger, during the holy month of Ramadan, distributing food packages to residents. Among the distributed items was Danwake—a popular local dish made from bean flour—which was packaged in plastic bags bearing images of both President Tinubu and Seyi Tinubu.
However, the initiative was met with widespread criticism from northern communities, with many residents perceiving the gesture as a calculated attempt to curry political favor amid the ongoing economic difficulties in the region. Many viewed it as a form of exploitation, especially given the hardship many Nigerians are currently facing.
Critics took to social media to express their discontent, arguing that distributing basic street food items during a sacred period like Ramadan, particularly with personal branding on the packages, was both insensitive and politically opportunistic. The backlash was further fueled by concerns that such gestures did little to address the root causes of poverty and economic distress in northern Nigeria, leading to further debate on the sincerity and timing of Seyi Tinubu’s visit.
